The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1881, Page 38

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te The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the ‘‘Lutheran Pioneer.’’)
Covetousness.

Covetousness is 2 vice which, if not subdued
by true repentance and faith in Christ Jesus,
certainly will lead to eternal perdition. It isa
natural outgrowth, a legitimate offspring of
selfishness, which, in consequence of Adam’s
fal], is common to all men. There is no differ-
ence, for all are depraved; the human heart is
naturally selfish. So long as a man is under the
control of this inborn passion, he will direct his
purposes to the advancement of his own inter-
ests, in disregard, nay even at the expense of
those of others. Never satisfied with what he
has, he is eager to obtain and to possess worldly
goods and always upon the alert in behalf of
increasing as well as of protecting his treasures:
—he is covetous. Let him possess whatever he
may, he desires to have more and more. Being
instigated by an insatiable desire for more,
his selfish principle manifests itself in the ac-
quisition of wealth and in fixing his heart upon
it.as an object worthy to be adored. Like the
appetite of a dog, so is his craving for riches.
The greedy, gluttonous dog, never refusing a
bit of meat, no sooner devours the morsel, than
he lifts up his eyes to his master, looking for

another piece. And although he is not benefited
by the bone within his reach, he is bound to
have it, even if he must bury it. Covetousness
is the “‘horseleech”’ that ‘‘ hath two daughters,
crying, Give, give’’, never saying, ‘‘It is
enough’’. Prov. 30, 15.—The covetous mind
is, what is commonly called, stingy and nig-
gardly. An avaricious or stingy man lives to
getall he can and save all he gets. And al-
though he has more than he needs, and perhaps
ever will need, yet he is not able to give to the
needy or to contribute*his share towards‘a good
cause. No,—dog in the manger like, he snarls
and keeps it all. Like the Dead Sea in-Pales-
tine, that swallows up the Jordan and several
other streams, without ceasing receives good
waters, but gives nothing back, excepting bit-
terness and unwholesome vapors, so the miser
is always pleased to receive, but has nothing
to spare for the good of others.
~ In accumulating and keeping earthly treas-
ures, covetousness does not in every instance
- resort to foul means for accomplishing its end.
Many a man is very careful, or as some would
liave it, conscientious, in this respect, so that
the civil Jaw is not interfered with by his ac-
tions. Many indulge in ‘knocking at Mam-
mon’s gates’, by employing what they call
honest and proper means, whilst others, and
alas, amongst these even Christians, make their
selfishness appear in a commendable garb. Next
to false doctrine, says Luther, there is no vice
that could disguise itself in such a manner, and
jhide under so pleasing a cover, so as to seem
' attractive and praiseworthy, than covetousness.
-—‘* Take heed and beware of covetousness; for
__ :# man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of
_ ~ +the things, which he possesseth.’’? Luke 12, 15.
__ ‘Remember that it is a damnable guilt and a

1. Jt is idolatry. It worships} Jesus, and perhaps he might be blessed, as an
It is ajinstrument in God’s hand to make many more

root of all evil.
the creature instead of the Creator.
trespass against the first commandment. ‘‘Co-/ the friends of Jesus, who are now the friends

vetousness is idolatry”’, says the Apostle. The|of the world.

covetous man makes his wealth his god. ‘‘The} NowI want to tell you how our little Ploncer
covetous man is an idolater, and shall not in-}can be introduced. THe is so very little, you
herit the kingdom of God,’’ says the same|know, that he‘is not xpt to be noticed, unless
Apostle. he is specially introduced, and, like. all good
2. It is theft, an offence committed against | little boys, he is somewhat bashful and can not
the seventh commandment, inasmuch as it| very well introduce himself; but if he is only
witholds what might be devoted to necessary | introduced by a friend, who will speak a good
uses, or what, according to God’s design, be-| word for him, he will soon make himself at
longs to the needy neighbor. home and become a dear friend to all that wel-
3. It is, the very sin, condemned in the ninth| come him,
commandment. Thou shalt not covet thy neigh-| One day I told him he might go with me,
bor’s house,—a commandment ‘ particularly | when I went out to make calls, and O, you
given in opposition to envy and insatiable av-| ought to have seen how pleased he was—he is
arice, in order that God may remove the cause | so glad, when he can go out and_ be introduced
and the source from which all the evils spring, | to strangers, where he has not been before; for
through which our neighbor is injured.’’|he takes great pleasure in spreading the Gospel
(Luth. L. C.) truth. Well, he tripped along with me, and I
4. The Most High pronounces the covetous man} introduced him wherever I called: almost all
a¥oou. A fool he is, indeed. His heart is not| were pleased with his bright little face, and
with God; he mistakes the true ends of life; he | when I told them what sweet and good stories
imagines that a man’s comfort and happiness|he could tell, and that he was willing to pay
can depend on temporal things; he substi-}them a visit each month, if they would only
tutes the body for the soul, time for eternity, | pay his small traveling expenses, they soon
the world for heaven; he heaps up riches and | gave their assent, and now I have got 30 new
knows not, who shall gather them; he is a|homes for the little Pronrer just by that little
miserable slave. In. short, the whole conduct | trouble. Will not all good friends of the
of such a man is a tissue of folly. PIonEER do a little to the same effect? Then
5. By covetousness the sow! is destroyed here | his homes will soon multiply. a: 6
and brought into a state of perdition hereafter. ——> eo
Those who make worldly gain their object and Holding On.
aim in life, are.snatching at shadows, and in
doing so, they lose substantial and eternal bless-/ An infidel passing through the shadows that
edness. ‘They that will be rich, fall into| hang around the close of life, and finding him-
temptation and a snare, and into many foolish | self adrift amid the dark surges of doubt and
and hurtful Justs, which drown men in destruc-| uncertainty, without anchorage or harbor in
tion and perdition. For the love of money is| view, was urged by his skeptical friends to
the root of all evil; which, while some coveted | ‘‘hold on.”” He answered, ‘‘I have no objection
after, they have erred from the faith, and| to holding on, but will you tell me what to hold
pierced themselves through with -many sor-|on by?” Here is a question which men will do
rows.”’ 1 Tim. 6, 9.10. Therefore, take heed | well to consider before they reach the closing
and beware of covetousness! G.R.  |scene. If they are to hold on, what are they to
—__+ +o o>» ___ : hold on by? Where is their trust? Where is
A Good Word for the “Pioneer.” their confidence? What certainty have they as
they go down int@ the shadows? Surely a man
The Pioneer is a dear friend to us. Every | who comes to his dying hour needs something
month he is sure to come around and pay us «| better than infidelity can give him; he needs
visit, and when he finds us engaged, or in a|the guiding hand of Him who is the resurrec-
troubled state of mind, or weary and tired from | tion and the life, who has conquered death and
labor, he will trip up to our sides very softly | triumphed over the grave, and who is able to
and look up into our faces with. a graceful | bring us safely off at last. He needs that hope
twinkle in his bright little eyes and with a} which is ‘‘as an anchor of the soul, both sure
sweet smile on his pretty little lips, as if he|and steadfast, and which entereth into that
wished to say: ‘‘I have something good to tell| within the veil.’’—Christian. ;
you.”” And when he, sees, that he is welcome — a
he will sit down and tell some of the sweetest] Our Heavenly Father, like our earthly par-
stories about Jesus, and the Cross, and God’s| ents, takes many of: our dearest things from us
love, and God’s gracious promises to them that | only that He may keep them for us.
love him, so that we all forget our troubles and ——
sorrows and pains, and only wish we could be| Txose who blow the coals of others’ strife
like the good little PrionErR. are apt to have the sparks fly in their own faces.
We also wish our dear little friend would be —_<_oe >
introduced into many, many more houses; we| ‘To meet under the tree of life in heaven,
know, he would be liked by all true friends of} families must meet at the cross on earth.

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